The Yemeni army said more than 100 Shiite rebels killed in fighting on Sunday, among them two prominent figures. "There has been a discovery of 100 bodies belonging to Houthi rebels on the sides of the roads outside Haraf Sufyian," a government statement was cited by Reuters.

"It seems these are members who had attempted to escape from the fierce fighting in Sufyan city and were chased down."

According to the government, the two leaders, named as Mohsen Hadi al-Qaoud and Saleh Jarman, died in the Haraf Sufyan area of Amran province and that others were arrested.

Earlier, the rebels said Yemeni warplanes bombed a commercial district near Saada city. A military source said the raid targeted a petrol station used to supply the rebels.